ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, said Afghan students, both male and female, are eager to pursue higher education in Pakistan despite restrictions on education in their home country.
In a post on X, Sadiq shared images of Afghan students participating in the Allama Iqbal Scholarship exams in Peshawar and Quetta, noting their enthusiasm as a testament to their interest in studying in Pakistan.
“The presence of these students at examination centers reflects their determination and desire to further their education,” Sadiq wrote.
The statement comes as the Taliban continue to enforce sweeping bans on education for Afghan women and girls. Since their return to power, the Taliban have barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and prohibited women from university education.
In a recent decree, the Taliban extended the ban to medical institutes, which had been one of the few remaining educational opportunities for Afghan women. The move, announced by Noor Jallal Jalali, the Taliban’s minister of public health, has drawn widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally.
Islamic scholars and leaders from Muslim-majority countries have also criticized the Taliban’s stance. At a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Islamabad, the head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars described the decision as rooted in the Taliban’s interpretation rather than Islamic principles.
“Declaring permissible actions as forbidden is one of the gravest sins,” he said, underscoring the incompatibility of the Taliban’s policies with Islamic teachings.
